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Harman Kardon AVR 254 7.1-Channel Home Theater Receiver

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Harman Kardon AVR 254 7.1-Channel Home Theater Receiver
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Harman Kardon AVR 254 Receiver
Description
The Harman Kardon(R) AVR 254 is the most affordable Harman Kardon receiver to feature both Dolby(R) TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio(TM) decoding on the audio side, and Faroudja DCDi Cinema(R) video processing to 1080p on the video side. But there's plenty more to recommend the AVR 254, including three HDMI(TM) inputs, connections for external amplifiers, EzSet/EQ(TM) technology to fine-tune your system to the acoustics of your room, and an RS-232 port for future firmware upgrades. Perhaps the highest recommendation of all? As do all Harman Kardon A/V receivers, the AVR 254 features a high-current, ultrawide-bandwidth design for maximum fidelity.

Power
  • 50W x 7 into 8 ohms, 20Hz – 20kHz, at <0.07% THD, with all channels driven simultaneously

  • High-current (±35 amps), ultrawide-bandwidth (10Hz – 100kHz) amplifier design


  • Surround Processing
  • Advanced dual-core Cirrus Logic® CS 49700 32-bit DSP processor

  • Full suite of Dolby surround decoding, including Dolby TrueHD and Dolby Digital Plus

  • Full suite of DTS® modes, including DTS-HD, DTS-HD Master Audio, DTS-ES® 6.1 Discrete & Matrix, DTS Neo:6® and DTS 96/24™

  • Dolby Pro Logic® IIx (Movie, Music and Game modes) surround sound

  • Harman-exclusive Logic 7 Movie, Music and Game surround sound processing in 5.1 and 7.1 channels

  • Dolby Headphone and Dolby Virtual Speaker surround modes

  • Five- and seven-channel Stereo surround modes

  • 192kHz/24-Bit DACs


  • Connectivity
  • Three HDMI 1.3a with Deep Color inputs and one HDMI output

  • Two assignable, wide-bandwidth (100MHz), HDTV-ready component video inputs and one output

  • Subwoofer output for direct connection to a powered subwoofer

  • Four A/V inputs with S-video, plus two audio-only inputs

  • Eight-channel-direct inputs for use with external surround decoders

  • 7.1 Preamp outputs allow the use of external amplifiers

  • XM Ready tuner

  • Convenient front-panel audio/video input with S-video for use with video games or portable players

  • Six digital inputs (two optical and two coaxial on rear panel, and one optical and one coaxial on front panel)

  • One coaxial digital output on rear panel

  • RS-232 port for fi rmware upgrades

  • IR remote extension jacks for system control

  • Auxiliary input for connecting iPod and other portable media players


  • Ease of Use
  • HDMI 1.3a with Deep Color and Faroudja DCDi Cinema video processing with upscaling to 1080p

  • Lip Sync Delay adjustable for each input

  • EzSet/EQ equalization for quick and accurate system setup

  • FM stereo/AM tuner with 30 presets and direct-access tuning

  • Quadruple-crossover bass manager

  • Wide range of low-frequency crossover points (40Hz, 60Hz, 80Hz, 100Hz, 120Hz and 200Hz) available

  • Full-color, high-defi nition, graphical on-screen interface, including HDMI and component video

  • Programmable power-up volume

  • Multiroom audio

  • Surround back amplifi er channels confi gurable for use as second-zone amplification

  • Seven-device, programmable system remote control


  • REVIEW SNAPSHOT®

    by PowerReviews
    Harman Kardon AVR 254 7.1-Channel Home Theater Receiver
     
    4.3

    (based on 12 reviews)

    Ratings Distribution

    • 5 Stars

       

      (7)

    • 4 Stars

       

      (4)

    • 3 Stars

       

      (0)

    • 2 Stars

       

      (0)

    • 1 Stars

       

      (1)

    91%

    of respondents would recommend this to a friend.

    Pros

    • Good audio (10)
    • Easy to set up (5)
    • Good power output (5)
    • Intuitive controls (5)
    • Simple controls (5)

    Cons

      Best Uses

      • Home theater (7)
      • Movies (5)
      • Smaller rooms / apartments (4)
      • Surround sound solution (3)
        • Reviewer Profile:
        • Tech savvy (8), Audiophile (7), Practical (5)

      Most Liked Positive Review

       

      Great Receiver......

      This is a great receiver for anyone wishing to improve their sound system. It's comparable to going from regular TV broadcast to HD broadcast. I had tried a Pioneer and a Sony receiver but ...Read complete review

      This is a great receiver for anyone wishing to improve their sound system. It's comparable to going from regular TV broadcast to HD broadcast. I had tried a Pioneer and a Sony receiver but returned both before deciding on the Harmon Kardon.
      The sound is superb and very realistic when you are watching movies. I am going to add surround speakers, so at this point, I can't give an opinion on how it compares with other systems.
      The remote control is very easy to use and I found the owner's manual fairly easy to understand. Other buyers of this receiver had mentioned that the fan was very loud and annoying, but I have found this not to be the case. The only major problem I have found is switching back and forth between regular channels
      and HD channels as the picture will go black. You have to turn the TV off and on again to take care of this problem. The "Lip Synch" control is kind of tricky to use in terms of trying to pin point the best "match," but is better than what most other models at this price range have to offer. It also could be the digital broadcast coming from my cable company.

      It has a very nice design and goes well with my other components. I would highly recommend this receiver to anyone looking to upgrade their sound system.

      VS

      Most Liked Negative Review

       

      No Sound - Had to Return

      I hooked the system up to a Plasma TV with an HD Cable Box...all with HDMI cables. It worked ok for about 2 weeks when I started getting intermittent problems with the sound...Read complete review

      I hooked the system up to a Plasma TV with an HD Cable Box...all with HDMI cables. It worked ok for about 2 weeks when I started getting intermittent problems with the sound. Eventually the sound completely went out. I paid $75 for a technician to tell me the receiver was bad, and another $40 to return it. I am waiting on a replacement receiver now. Very disappointed to say the least!

      REVIEWS

      Reviewed by 12 customers

      Sort by

      Displaying reviews 1-5

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      4.0

      Awesome with flaws

      By Dummy

      from Pittsburgh, PA

      About Me Audiophile, Tech Savvy

      Verified Buyer

      Pros

      • Accurate Controls
      • Clean Sound
      • Easy To Set Up
      • Good Power

      Cons

      • Bugs

      Best Uses

      • Home Theater

      Comments about Harman Kardon AVR 254 7.1-Channel Home Theater Receiver:

      The unit sounds great and is very easy to set up. The GUI is much nicer than the Marantz 5002. Overall, it's a great amp.

      The downside is that it has bugs. Most of the bugs have been worked out via firmware upgrades. BTW upgrading the firmware is a pain in the butt. One bug that hasn't been fixed yet (for me) is that the amp cuts off the first second or two of every song. It's insane to me that an amp that is supposed to play music can't do that right! I'm only putting up with it now because I hope there will be a fix soon.

      Comment on this review

       
      5.0

      Supprise package

      By CT

      from Los Angeles, CA

      About Me Musically Inclined, Tech Savvy

      Verified Buyer

      Pros

      • Accurate Controls
      • Clean Sound
      • Durable
      • Easy To Set Up
      • Good Power

      Cons

        Best Uses

        • Basic Systems
        • Home Theater
        • Larger Rooms

        Comments about Harman Kardon AVR 254 7.1-Channel Home Theater Receiver:

        Great unit, provides excellent control of my components, even enhances HD TV picture.

        Comment on this review

         
        1.0

        No Sound - Had to Return

        By Todd

        from Ft Worth, TX

        About Me Professional

        Verified Buyer

        Pros

          Cons

          • Poor Sound

          Best Uses

          • Home Theater

          Comments about Harman Kardon AVR 254 7.1-Channel Home Theater Receiver:

          I hooked the system up to a Plasma TV with an HD Cable Box...all with HDMI cables. It worked ok for about 2 weeks when I started getting intermittent problems with the sound. Eventually the sound completely went out. I paid $75 for a technician to tell me the receiver was bad, and another $40 to return it. I am waiting on a replacement receiver now. Very disappointed to say the least!

          Comment on this review

           
          5.0

          Perfect

          By Laz

          from East Coast

          About Me Practical, Tech Savvy

          Verified Reviewer

          Pros

          • Clear Sound
          • Easy To Setup
          • Interfaces Well With TV
          • Intuitive Controls

          Cons

            Best Uses

            • Movies
            • Smaller Rooms
            • Surround Sound Solution
            • Television Shows

            Comments about Harman Kardon AVR 254 7.1-Channel Home Theater Receiver:

            Used in a 5.1 bedroom setup with PS3, Samsung LCD, and HK HDCD player. Beautiful to look at and user interface easy to navigate. If I was placing in a living room I would step up to the 354 for the extra power. My choice was between Onxyo 606, Denon 888 and HK. I am Glad with my choice it sounds fantastic.

            Cons shipped with version 0.49 had to upgrade to 0.95. Easy to download but could not get my laptop to connect with serial (something about Power according to AVS forums) had to use desktop - minor inconvenience but you might want to upgrade before setting AVR in place or attaching all speakers and components. Version upgrade and instructions are on HK website. fixes bugs and provides a better looking and more detailed user interface. to check version 1 2 3 4 OK on remote newer version 1 2 3 0 OK or vice versa

            Comment on this review

             
            5.0

            I Love it! you beautiful beast!

            By Razorbackthunder

            from Fort Worth,Tx.

            About Me Audiophile

            Verified Buyer

            Pros

            • Clear Sound
            • Easy To Setup
            • Interfaces Well With TV
            • Intuitive Controls
            • Thundering Bass

            Cons

              Best Uses

              • Movies

              Comments about Harman Kardon AVR 254 7.1-Channel Home Theater Receiver:

              I wouldn't have any other receiver --I love this receiver!

              Comment on this review

              Displaying reviews 1-5

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